


It's Christmas, to begin with

by orphan_account



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Drug Use, F/M, M/M, Slight Alcoholism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-24
Updated: 2012-12-24
Packaged: 2017-11-22 06:22:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/606781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which nobody knows what Arthur wants, or really, everybody does, Gwen squeals, Merlin whines and Lancelot pines.<br/>Also Morgana is a vegan Animal Rights activist that drinks far too much and gay love saves the day.<br/>General misinterpretation of any situation, as per usual.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's Christmas, to begin with

„I'm going to die alone, with too much blood pressure and fatty degeneration of my heart after too much ice cream and Science Fiction novels, Gana! What am I supposed to do?“

Merlin was rather likely to whine lately.

Morgana just opened another bottle of mulled wine – it might be her third today, but she wouldn't tell you that – handed Merlin a mug and said:

„Merlin. So you're a bit awkward. That's fine. You like Science Fiction and performing quirky magic tricks. That's... fine either. And you haven't had a relationship that lasted longer than a week. Okay. But that doesn't mean you're unlovable or won't find anyone ever. You're just a bit stressed because it's Christmas time and everybody around you seems to fall in love. But believe me, there're lots of lovely girls out there...”

 Merlin smashed his head in his fingers and howled a bit.

 “I do know this, thank you very much. But that's not very likely to help me with my problem.”

 Morgana bit her lip and scratched Merlin's back soothingly.

 “...and also nice blokes, who'd be head over heels if only they knew of your existence.”

 She didn't really believe in the concept of homosexuality anyhow, or sexuality in general. 

 “Yeah, that's what you're saying now to comfort me, and tomorrow you'll be sitting in that café again blaming guys for all the problems you have in this life!”

“Merlin, that's because it's a feminist society! We'd be doing something wrong if we _wouldn't_ blame men for everything!”

“And let me guess, I'm still not allowed to feel harassed?”

“Oh Merlin, you don't count, darling.”

 

Of course Gwen chose this exact moment to come back from her dance group, bringing Arthur, her partner of two years, along.

 “Merlin? Are you home? I've brought Arthur, we wanna watch 'Strictly Come Dancing' for some inspiration, and... Gana!”

 She squealed a bit at the sight of her two best friends in her living room and was very suddenly very attached to Morgana's neck, who was swaying a bit on the ground without intending to do so. Not that anyone would have noticed.

 Merlin ignored her and knocked back his mulled wine. He didn't feel sociable at all and Morgana was already more than he could deal with. (Morgana was probably too much for everyone to deal with, though.)

 “Oh, what have you been doing to Merlin?”

Gwen fetched the empty mug from Merlin's hands.

“How many of this did he have?”

 Morgana looked up to the ceiling, trying to count, while Merlin picked up the blanket he was snuggled up in, attached it around his shoulders and declared:

“Doesn't matter. Not as if my life would have any sense anyway, I might as well just curl up in my bed the whole evening and don't come out until Christmas is-”

 Of course he managed to walk directly into Arthur, who just stepped in the room.

 “Easy there, mate.”

 Arthur said and clapped him on the shoulder. Merlin growled a bit, scowled at Arthur first, then at Gwen, who raised her shoulders apologetically.

 That she even dared to bring him here! After all he'd done!

Well, Arthur hadn't done much more than maybe not knowingly insult Merlin's habit to wear neckerchiefs and mocking him for his ears at any given opportunity. And his clumsiness. And the way he had his coffee. And how he coloured his books. But still Gwen invited him over a lot and they had to spend more time together than was strictly necessary to maintain Merlin's mental health.

 “Found another victim to drag into your addictive habits of drug abuse?”, he asked Morgana with one risen eyebrow, hands still on Merlin's shoulder.

 “Brother dear, I have no idea what you're talking about”, Morgana said, only slightly leaning on Gwen, “and Merlin is not my victim, he is a victim of society in general. Pretty lost case.”

 “Oh, that's not true, Gana, Merlin is doing really fine.”, Gwen intervened.

 Arthur's lips curled into a smirk. And that was too much for Merlin.

 “I'm still here, but do you know what? If you please just let me go to my room, you can talk about me and my pathetic mock of a life all you want!”

 He pushed Arthur out of the way and strolled down to his room, followed by three pitying glances.

 “You really wanna watch 'Strictly Come Dancing'?”, Morgana asked and waved her hand between Gwen, Arthur and the telly, following it with her gaze. (Or rather her whole upper body.)

Arthur and Gwen both nodded, one with astonishingly more anticipation than the other.

 “Then I'll need more wine.”

 “You might be just my half sister, but I still take it as my duty to save you from developing an alcohol addiction and will therefore interfere with this intention of yours.”

 “My, they really should have taken you out of this boarding school before the stick up your ass got up so high it has to be removed operational.”, Morgana grumbled, as Arthur and Gwen dragged her over to the couch and forced her down.

 “Besides, I want to tell you about our new choreograph!”, Gwen exclaimed excitedly, “He has amazing ideas, and he says, if our group is training a bit, we'll be able to go in for some dance contests! Wouldn't that be great?”

 “What's the colour of his eyes?”

 “This really deep chocolate brown with a spark of caramel and mocca and... Why do you ask?”

 “To measure how much wine I'm going to need if I want to survive the evening.”, Morgana got up, “Want some too?”

 And this time, Arthur accepted the offer far too greedily for Gwen not to raise suspicions, but all the same they had to suffer her going on about Lance the whole evening. Not that it would have stopped her to compare every dancer on the show to Lance.

Not that it would have mattered for either Morgana or Arthur at this point anyway.

They knew how to deal with such things.

They grew up in the Pendragon household, after all.

* * *

 

 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys; Gwendolyn 'Gwen' Smith

(10.41): Where am I!?!? 0.ô

\---  
 **To:** Morgana Pendragon; Gwendolyn 'Gwen' Smith

(10.42): Passed out on our couch after Gwen had 'rescued' me from my room *rolleyes*, because she needed all our opinions on how she could win over Lance. Thx a lot, btw, Gwen. Not as if Arthur will mock me forever for my sleep T-Shirt. 

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys; Gwendolyn 'Gwen' Smith

(10.59): Oh, thx, darlings. And Merlin, I think it's rather cute... '[Me Like Cooookies](http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/COOKIE-MONSTER-T-SHIRT-MENS-Retro-Sesame-Street-men-tee-/220744822512)' xD

\---  
 **To:** Morgana Pendragon; Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(11.00) Plus, it totally brings out your eyes. C U 2 at 2 in the café? :*

\---  
 **To:** Gwendolyn 'Gwen' Smith; Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(11.01) Totally. And it's Arthur's favourite colour btw, don't think he'll mock u (2 much). xox

\---  
 **To:** Morgana Pendragon; Gwendolyn 'Gwen' Smith

(11.20) I h8 U all. 

* * *

 

Merlin held a newspaper up above his head to protect himself from the rain on his way to the café. It had been raining for days on end now and still no snow in sight. Though it was London, chances of a 'White Christmas' had never been lower.

"I blame the government and their environmental decisions.", Morgana announced and sat down her coffee with rum.

"And you know why that is? Because they're all men.", endorsed one of her friends.

"They're pretty much unable to make any right decisions with this testosterone clouded brain of theirs. The only thing that counts? Profiling."

"Would be so easy to save the world. We just all had to make one wise decision in our life: Go vegan."

"Totally, darling. But do you know why this would never happen? Because, literally, all men are like always 'Uh, I need my meat, I couldn't live without it-' you know what that is? Bullshit."

A miserable pout had formed on Merlin's mouth. He really didn't see why Morgana insisted on Gwen and him coming along for her activist group meeting. Firstly, because they didn't show any activistic interest at all, secondly, because he hadn't figured out in what kind of activism they participated: Feminism? Animal Rights? Anti-fascism?

"Who's the bad guy today?", Gwen asked as she flopped down next to Merlin.

"Not sure if the environmental politicians or men in general.", Merlin whispered and sucked on the straw of his Coke. "How's Lance?"

He almost immediatly regretted having asked this questions. Sometimes he really didn't understood why he was only friends with girls. Then again, he was pretty awkward around guys and thought it was probably better to get a make-over now and then and listen to disaster date stories the Glamour couldn't invent better than to have to play football and drink beer. (*yuck*)

After a solid quarter of an hour of rambling, Gwen finally said: "Oh, and I ran into Arthur today."

Merlin's head whipped up.

"I hadn't figured out he already knew Lance from football, and I was really embarrassed, because I had rambled so much about him yesterday, but he said he had asked after me, how I was doing!"

"Great", Merlin managed. 

"Yeah, he even proposed to meet together, and Arthur was like "Hey, you could totally bring Merlin, we'll be sure to have cookies." Did I mention they are living together? No? Well, they're living together! Just around the block!"

It wasn't really easy to make out one sentence from the other when Gwen spoke excitedly.

"Wait, what? Why would you bring me?", Merlin furrowed his brows.

"Don't know - you're living with me! Or maybe he just wanted to bring up the cookies." Gwen smiled.

Merlin sighed and put his head on the table. "I guess."

"And he agreed that blue is totally your colour."

"Yes, and my general mood of being lately."

"Gwen? Do you want to join our baking team? We're making vegan cookies for the Christmas auction next week.", Morgana intervened abruptly.

"Uh, sorry Gana, but I think I'll have to practise dancing a lot." She nodded slowly with raised brows. No doubt Morgana understood  _exactly_ what that meant. "Why don't you ask Merlin? Bet he loves cookies."

"This will forever haunt me, won't it?", Merlin asked, still miserable.

"Yes, darling. So you'll come to me later, we're making cookies. Nicey."

Merlin grumbled something that sounded a lot like something along the lines of "FML" and finished his Coke.

Gwen patted his back.

"Oh honey, don't be miserable. Christmas used to be your favourite season, remember?"

"That was before I realised what my ever-fighting parents were  _really_ up to on Christmas Eve, that there was no Santa and that I'm going to be the perfect 'Gay Best Friend' forever but will never find somebody who likes me like...  _that_."

Gwen cooed a bit. She always cooed when she imagined Merlin being with somebody. Not that she would have ever allowed it. When it came to Merlin, she usually had all the over-protective big sister fences up.

* * *

**To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(18.13) My brother will come, 2. Ok?

\---  
 **To:** Morgana Pendragon

(18.14) What? Y? No!

\---  
 **To:**  Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(18.16) Gwen is having dinner with Lance, they need some 'peace and quiet', as he puts it. xD

\---  
 **To:** Morgana Pendragon

(18.20) Y r u doing this 2 me?

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(18.22) Oh, u think it's funny for me 2 have U2 bicker like an old couple all evening?

\---  
 **To:** Morgana Pendragon

(18.23) U have mulled wine :P

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(18.24) Truth to be told.

\---  
 **To:** Gwendolyn 'Gwen' Smith

(18.25) U better have fun! Don't think I'll be much after tonight...

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(18.30) Merlin! We're just discussing the choreography for the Christmas show!

\---  
 **To:** Gwendolyn 'Gwen' Smith

(18.45) Yeah, you better ;)

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(23.36) Don't think I'm coming home. C U 2morrow? :*

\---  
 **To:** Gwendolyn 'Gwen' Smith

(00.06) *rolleyes*

* * *

 

Merlin didn't always whine that much. He was just feeling rather lonely lately. University had started out amazing, as Gwen had promised: He was free to do what he wanted, he could stay up all night with her, and she had introduced him to all her friends she already had, because she was two years older than him. 

Somewhere along the way, Morgana - who he'd been really frightened of, at first - had decided to adopt him as her little puppy to play with, and that was fine.  
Somewhere along the way, Arthur suddenly seeamd to appear at every corner, and that was horrible.

And Merlin loved Gwen, liked Morgana, but Arthur... well, he wouldn't say he loathed him. But he had absolutely no clue how to deal with him. At their first encounter he was terrified to meet him again, on their second Arthur was nice and lovely all evening, but when Merlin started to be nice, Arthur tended to mock the life out of him, as if he'd found it funny to watch Merlin squirm and blush and fluster under his comments, sometimes to deadpanned to shoot back.

But he was getting better fast, and around autumn they had established an uneasy friendship sort of way that was okay for everybody. Mostly.

Because while it seemed for everybody that they both were just generally making fun of themselves and pulling each others ponytails, because they had nothing better to do, Merlin actively wondered,  _why_ Arthur was doing this to him.

Merlin had never had to deal with this much display of interest before.

And it was wrong to ponder over it - because somewhere along the way, Merlin had established a major crush on Arthur, that just never seemed to go away.

 

"After me, please", Arthur said as he held the door open for him, "should have guessed I'd see you here."

Merlin's glance was just one big question mark.

"Well, Cook-"

"Oh, don't even start!"

"Guys, you're not even into the flat!", Morgana scolded them. From the kitchen emerged the tunes of Morgana's Ultimate Christmas playlist: Featuring Wham!, Mariah Carey and of course Bing Crosby.

She handed both Arthur and Merlin a cup.

"What's this?", Arthur asked, sniffing at it, while Merlin just knocked it back.

"Don't ask, just drink, believe me", he mumbled shily.

"If your handling everything Morgana hands you like that, I can seriously stop wondering..."

"What?"

"Oh, nothing.", he flashed a grin in Merlin's direction.

"Boys, save the banter for later, when I'm too drunk to care. Right now, we're making cookies, and don't you dare stealing some, they're all meant for the poor!", Morgana exclaimed finally and dragged them along to the kitchen, Merlin stumbling significantly already.

"Boy, you really can't hold your liquor, can you?", Arthur said, raising his eyebrows.

"Not everybody's born with alcohol absorbing genes like you two!", Merlin snapped and crossed his arms stubbornly.

Morgana cooed. "Aww, and isn't he cute when he's bucking?" She pinched his cheeks and caused him to flush.

Arthur stepped beside her and was about to say something, when she held up a hand said.

"But enough of that. Back to business. Let me see your bags."

"My bags?" Arthur was doing the look with the one risen eyebrow again.

"Yes, Arthur, I have to make sure you haven't smuggled real milk in this time. The cookies were a disaster last year!"

Which was true. [The recipe](http://www.peta2.com/recipes/sugar-cookies/) simply hadn't worked with real milk.

Arthur hadn't attempted to bring milk with him this time.

"I swear, he's carrying around the stuff just to mock me!", Morgana swore exasperatedly to Merlin.

Merlin shrugged. "Why would he carry milk around?"

"Because it's tasty and healthy, whatever Morgana here might say."

"That's just what the industry likes you dumbasses to think! In fact, milk causes vital components of your bones to..."

It took one glance between Arthur and Merlin and everything was clear: They needed more wine. It was going to be a  _loooong_ evening.

 

_3 hours later_

 

"Do you think Gwen could be home already?" Merlin asked Morgana, unable to make out the time on his watch.

"Unlikely", Arthur said. Him and Morgana had long switched to Whiskey, just after the first try of cookies had gloriously burned in the stove.

"Oh, please.", Morgana through in, "I know Lance. He's a _dance_ instructor and living together with _you_! You don't really expect something to go on, do you?"

Merlin looked up. Was Morgana suggesting that... that Lance was gay? And together with Arthur? But was Arthur gay?

"Gana, I told you approximately a thousand times, not each and every bloke that dances is gay.", Arthur sighed.

So Arthur was clearly not. Damnit.

"Yes, there are also some not dancing."

Merlin pointedly ignored the crucial smile directed at him, while he desperatedly tried to fight down the disappointment about the knowledge that he got his hopes, which had been arbitrary before, up for someone who was not only not interested but also not even able to ever fall for him. Again.

"Gana, I thought you was the one trying to explain me the whole concept of sexuality was downright wrong, weren't you? So why-"

Arthur was cut short by Morgana's question: "Merlin, are you crying?"

"No", Merlin sniffed, embarrassed by how high-pitched it sounded, "Perhaps. Not really. It's probably just rain on my face."

"Rain?", Arthur asked doubtfully, for which Morgana whacked him across the head.

"Arthur, don't be insensitive. To be honest, I'm very much in favour of you bringing Merlin home now."

"Me? Why?"

"Because obviously he won't make it alone." She gestured to the place next to the couch were Merlin now had curled up and tried to squeeze the tears back into his eyes.

"And I'm not calling Gwen to pick him up, so there's really no point what else you should be doing if I'm to kick you out. Which I am."

And that was how Merlin ended up on the streets, supported only by Arthur's arm around his waist.

"I'm so sorry", he mumbled, "I really  _am_ a lightweight."

"It's okay", Arthur assured him and started to drag him along, "I'm secretly wondering whether Morgana is simply set out to make everyone around her drunk or just needs the acknowledgement the she can drink everybody under the table. Probably both."

Merlin giggled. And didn't stop. Until he got a hiccup. A really bad hiccup. The one where you're just about to start belching and just can't stop.

It was really hard for Arthur not to laugh at him.

"Oh god, you're going to mock the death out of me - hick - because of that! - hick", Merlin hiccupped.

Arthur laughed. "Why would I do that?"

"Because you - hick - always do."

"Yeah, but you should see your reaction to it. You make it really hard for one not to mock you."

"Are you saying I'm a typical mobbing victim?"

"Well..."

And from that point on, Merlin remembered nothing.

* * *

**To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(08.34) Slept well?

\---  
 **To:** Arthur Pendragon

(08.35) Fuck U. What have U done 2 me?

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(08.37) Put you in bed, covered you in your favourite blanket, fetched water and paracetamol and arragned everything nicely on your nightstand, like a gentleman should. And now look at you, there you are, listening to your lectures, alive and kicking! You really ought to thank me instead of cursing me off. :'(

\---  
 **To:** Arthur Pendragon

(08.38) Well, yeah, thx. But how do U know I'm having lectures?

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(08.39) I can see you... ;)

\---  
 **To:** Arthur Pendragon

(08.40) WHAT R U DOING IN MY MEDIEVAL ARTS LECTURE??? o.0

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(08.41) Try and figure it out. ;) 

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(08.42) By the way, you can stop looking for me now, you won't find me. :P

\---  
 **To:** Arthur Pendragon

(08.45) Stalker. 

* * *

 "How many cookies has my favourite Christmas elf already sold?"

The huge grin Lance caused on Gwen's face when he strolled over to their cookie stand at the Christmas auction should simply be forbidden.

"See? He's not gay!", Merlin whispered to Morgana.

Morgana eyed him suspiciously in her super short Sexy Santa outfit.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, you told Arthur the other day, because he's a dance instructor..."

"Oh, I wasn't referring to Lance, darling." She laughed and shook her head.

"But...", before Merlin could say anything further (and more intellible), Gwen pulled Lance over.

"Lance, this is Merlin, we grew up together, and Gana, well, you know Morgana...", she giggled soppily at him. Lance beamed back at her with an intensity that made Merlin squirm. What would he give to have someone - anyone, really - looking at him like  _that_.

"Hello Merlin", Lance extracted his hand for a firm handshake, in the same old-fashioned manner Arthur used to, and Merlin blushed right up to the base of his green elf head, which failed to hide his ears, as per usual, and for a moment he envied Gwen. If all dancers grew to be like that, he really should have started to think about doing it earlier. Then again, he couldn't even  _walk_ a straight line most of the times, so...

"Nice hat. Arthur really didn't understate your ears.", he added with a grin and winked at Merlin.

"Bet he didn't.", Merlin mumbled, feeling uneasy again.

He had tried to banish the thought of Arthur, he really had, but it just didn't work. Especially not with a certain blonde prat sending him texts day in, day out. Most of them weren't even particularly intelligible, it was just another medium to be mocked over, but... Merlin couldn't help but let his fingers tingle with anticipation whenever his mobile chirped.

The problem was, he had the distinct feeling he had done something, or perhaps said something, when Arthur had put him back to bed and he had no memory whatsoever. He couldn't pinpoint  _why_ he was feeling like that - just the underlying tone of all of Arthur's messages and the way he looked at him when they ran across each other in the cafeteria.

But at least they managed to sit together now, without not knowing what to say to each other. 

And as destiny had it, Merlin was in the least when this certain  ~~gorgeous~~ stupid blonde turned around the corner.

"Ah, look who has come to displace you!", Lance said to Gwen and pecked her nose. 

"What?", Merlin asked and wrinkled his forehead.

"Yes, Arthur practically volunteered", Morgana chirped into his ear, which caught her three disbelieving glances from Merlin, Lance and Gwen. As if Morgana would ever have accepted a 'no'.

"Please tell me I don't have to wear such a un ugly costume like Merlin", was the first thing Arthur said, when he arrived at the stand.

"Well, nice to see you too, brother dear", Morgana said, "and no of course not."

One disbelieving glance was added.

"You can wear Gwen's, obviously."

_A few minutes later_

_  
_"This is so humiliating", Arthur muttered so only Merlin could hear it, "Is there even somebody buying this stuff?"

"Afraid they will pull it out of our hands now that you've came.", Merlin chuckled, to be the one having the upper hand once.

"Ha bloody ha", Arthur snarled, "And you know what's even worse? I'm not even sure why I'm selfsuffocating myself so much for my best friends. I mean, fine, they're an item now, one had to be pretty dumb to not see that coming, but it's just... I feel kind of replaced, you know?"

Merlin remembered when he first came to University and saw Gwen having other friends, when it had been the two of them all along forever. It had hurt. He nodded and shot an understanding glance at Arthur.

"Not that I'm complaing, but... I have been dancing with Gwendolyn for about two years now, and now it looks like she's going to do the performance at the Christmas show with Lance, because they're just working  _that_ well together, and not for nothing, but I feel sort of... passed over?"

Oh. So that was what Arthur was feeling. He'd had feelings for Gwen all along. That was why he was hanging out with them. That was why he was putting so much effort in the dancing! (Because seriously, which bloke does that?) That was, that was why...

And once again, Merlin felt shudderd and shaken. Just when there had been this tiny, tiny straw of hope in form of texts, it had - of course, how  _could_ it have been different - been because Arthur was madly in love with his best friends. Who happened to be his best friend, too. Bloody marvelous.

It took almost inhuman strength of him not to say: "Oh Arthur...", cup his cheek and wipe away the invisible tears, but say: "If you'd excuse me.", instead and make his way straight to the loo.

* * *

**To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(14.32) Where R U?

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(15.01) Merlin? What is it? Where have you gone?

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(15.15) Was it something I've said? I'm sorry, you know... whatever it was. Can you come back now, Morgana is about to lose it... ;)

\---  
 **To:** Arthur Pendragon, Morgana Pendragon

(18.54) Sry, just couldn't do this anymore. It was... nevermind. Sorry.

* * *

Merlin felt so bad about lying at the phone, because, well, chances weren't that bad that Arthur had been looking for him at some point, and really, it was super rude, but he had the feeling that he was desperate and that it was okay to act irrational under such circumstances.

"Merlin", Gwen's calm and caring voice snapped him out of the mental break-down he had been about to have.

"Merlin, would you mind to give me the 'Ben&Jerry's'?"

"No. 'Ben&Jerry's' is only for depressed people. You're happy, you're not supposed to eat ice-cream."

"Merlin, please, you're acting irrational again."

"And I have every right to."

"Shift over." 

Merlin made room for her on the couch and grabbed the spoon he had been hiding for her.

"And now, spill and tell."

"Can't." He vehemently shook his head.

"Merlin." Yes, Gwen could threaten, too.

"Gwen, I...", and that was when the sobbing started, "I just want somebody to love me for who I am. I want somebody to look at me like Lance looks at you. I want somebody who snuggles up to me on the couch like you but who isn't you, obviously. I want somebody, who just... understands me, who is just alike with me and still... different. Does that make sense? Gwen, I just want somebody to love me!"

Gwen placed her arms around Merlin's neck.

"And let me guess, 'somebody' is your super secret codeword for Arthur Pendragon?"

Merlin's panicked gaze snapped up to meet hers.

"Oh, please, don't think I haven't noticed."

And then Merlin started to sob a bit more.

"Merlin, you're not too blame. I think, everybody I meet developes a pretty firm crush on Arthur. I mean, really, I think even  _I_...", she trailed of when Merlin winced at this, "Merlin, would you just tell me?"

Merlin took a long and shaky breath.

"I think Arthur's pretty besotted with you and very jealous of Lance."

Merlin had expected lots of things. Gwen clutching her chest. Gwen inhaling deeply and pressing her hands together in front of her mouth. Gwen immediately breaking of with Lance and running to Arthur. Gwen banging her head on the table because she regretted her former life choices. Hell, he had even expected her to faint!

What he didn't expected was the laughing flash Gwen suffocated after he'd spoken, which started anew whenever she just blinked at him and his dumbfounded gaze.

"What? That's pretty much what he told me today."

"I highly doubt that.", Gwen even wiped little tears from the corners of her eye.

"Why?"

"Because", and she snuggled up to Merlin, "we might have been friends all our life, Merlin, but I have known him for two years now. Two years. And do you know what the first thing was I said after we first had danced together?"

Merlin shook his head, oblivious to what was about to come.

"I said 'Oh god, I don't need another gay best friend.'"

Merlin's eyes grew wide like saucers. "You said... what?"

"'I don't need another gay best friend.' Because I've already got you.", she poked him in the side, "and then he told me about his bisexuality, and I told him that I could totally see what he fancied in men, and then he asked why I said 'another' and then I told him about you. And that was, as they say, 'the beginning of a wonderful friendship.'"

If possible, Merlin's eyes grew even wider.

"But... I... what... Why have you never told me this?"

Gwen shrugged.

"Never felt the need to. I mean, I was secretly hoping you two would end up together, and I thought he always did a really good job flirting with you, so I didn't felt the need to help with that. And if I'm looking at you now, I dare say he was successful?"

"Gwen.", Merlin said then, barely resisting the urge to slam his head on the table hmself now, "I think I might've just ruined everything."

* * *

**To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(20.11) Merlin. The show starts in 20 min. Come on.

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(20.13) Merlin, Gwen would be really happy to have you here, you could watch with Arthur and Morgana? She gave me your number, btw.

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(20.15) R U rly about 2 leave me here alone with Arthur and a besotted couple!??

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(20.22) U could still make it.

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(20.25) I will 4ever h8 U, if u do this 2 me. 

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(20.26) Merlin, pls. I'm sending Morgana to get u! ;*

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(20.29) Going on stage now. U better be there for the after-show party, or I think Gana will sustain from her vegan lifestyle for one night only.

* * *

"Merlin?"

The knock on the door caught him from his depressing thoughts. 

He had felt so bad for abandoning Gwen and Lance's dance show performance, but he just couldn't bring himself to face Arthur again, not after he'd made such a fool of him and received no answer whatsoever after that last text, that awful lie.

He dragged himself over to the door, flabbergasted by the sight of especially Arthur Pendragon standing in front of it.

"Merlin.", he sighed exasperated, looking a bit worn-out, "I'm not exactly sure what I have done to make you abandon me, but I think I've already apologised fot that. Anyway, that's not what I'm here for, I basically just wanted to tell you that it's pretty childish not to come to Gwen and Lance's performance, because it's probably one of the best choreos ever, and the only fact why I'm here now to drag you along to the Christmas show, is the fact that I've already seen it. That, and that it would've been Morgana otherwise and I thought you wouldn't deserve that. So, come on."

Merlin just stared at him, how he possibly not even had noticed that he was in his pajamas.

"See, I'm not sure what it is. It's just that... Okay, you obivously don't seem to remember, but when I brought you home the other day, you just... you fell asleep and my shoulder when I carried you up the stairs and wouldn't let go of my neck and I just... I thought, you'd like me."

Merlin blinked. (And tried to will down the blush creeping up his ears.)

"Maybe not as much as you like cookies, but..."

And that was, when, finally, Merlin stumbled the last step forward and flew in Arthur's arms.

"...took your time.", Arthur whispered and placed a tiny kiss on Merlin's mouth, "but you're forgiven, this once."

Merlin tilted his head and placed a few little kisses on Arthur's upper lip.

"Just this once?"

"Just this once."

"Then I'm pretty sorry in advance for what I'm going to do now."

* * *

**To:** Arthur Pendragon

(20.58) WTF is taking U so long?!

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(21.02) Aftershow-Party in 30 min. Has Arthur come by yours yet?

\---  
 **To:** Arthur Pendragon, Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(21.22) The party is about to start? Where R U 2?

\---  
 **To:** Morgana Pendragon

(21.29) Yes, he is 0;)

\---  
 **To:**  Linus 'Merlin' Emrys, Arthur Pendragon

(21.30) OH MY GOD!

\---  
 **To:** Linus 'Merlin' Emrys

(21.33) Finally :*

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I know, Gwen is shot for Guinevere and Merlin is just Merlin... but I wanted to give them appropriate names, sort of.
> 
> Also, all the stuff said about vegans: I don't mean any of it, am one myself. I just think, every view on the world that the tiniest bit of crass can be mocked.


End file.
